Published 2026-10-02
The same Big Mac costs $5.19 at one Philadelphia McDonald's and $7.29 at another
As fast food pricing becomes more data-driven, Drive Thru Index compared the pickup prices of the same items at 342 restaurants of five chains in the Philadelphia area. Within each chain, prices for the same item differ by up to 40% from one restaurant to the next.
Data as of .
Key facts
- McDonald's Big Mac: $5.19 to $7.29 (+40%)Cheapest in Philadelphia, PA, most expensive in Pennsauken, NJ; median $6.79, 13% above McDonald's US median.
- Jersey Mike's Original Italian: $8.25 to $11.50 (+39%)Cheapest in Glassboro, NJ, most expensive in Cherry Hill, NJ; median $10.95, the same as Jersey Mike's US median.
- Burger King Whopper: $6.29 to $8.65 (+38%)Cheapest in Philadelphia, PA, most expensive in Penns Grove, NJ; median $6.59, 5% above Burger King's US median.
- Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich: $5.49 to $6.99 (+27%)Cheapest in Philadelphia, PA, most expensive in Philadelphia, PA; median $5.79, the same as Popeyes' US median.
- Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme: $5.69 to $7.19 (+26%)Cheapest in Harleysville, PA, most expensive in Aston, PA; median $6.99, 4% above Taco Bell's US median.
Fast food chains are collecting more and more data about their customers through mobile apps and loyalty programs: accounts with their details, and what they order and when. They are also experimenting with AI and data-driven pricing. Meanwhile the same item can cost very different amounts from one restaurant to the next, and customers cannot see why. Drive Thru Index publishes every restaurant's real price, every day, so anyone can check.
McDonald's: a Big Mac costs $5.19 at two McDonald's restaurants in Philadelphia, PA and $7.29 at 18 McDonald's restaurants in Pennsauken, Blackwood, Cherry Hill, Glassboro, Magnolia, Medford, Moorestown, Mount Ephraim, Mount Holly, Mount Laurel, Mullica Hill, Sewell, Swedesboro, Voorhees, Woodbury and Woodstown, NJ, and Wilmington, DE, $2.10 (40%) more. Across its 137 restaurants in the Philadelphia area, the median is $6.79, 13% above McDonald's US median of $5.99.
Jersey Mike's: a Original Italian costs $8.25 at the Jersey Mike's in Glassboro, NJ and $11.50 at seven Jersey Mike's restaurants in Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Hainesport, Marlton, Moorestown, Mt. Laurel and Voorhees, NJ, $3.25 (39%) more. Across its 21 restaurants in the Philadelphia area, the median is $10.95, the same as Jersey Mike's US median of $10.95.
Burger King: a Whopper costs $6.29 at 17 Burger King restaurants in Philadelphia, Levittown, Blue Bell, Clifton Heights, Conshohocken, Feasterville Trevose, Havertown, Holmes, King Of Prussia, Langhorne, Lansdale, Norristown, North Wales and Phoenixville, PA and $8.65 at three Burger King restaurants in Penns Grove and Mount Laurel, NJ, $2.36 (38%) more. Across its 68 restaurants in the Philadelphia area, the median is $6.59, 5% above Burger King's US median of $6.29.
Popeyes: a Classic Chicken Sandwich costs $5.49 at 19 Popeyes restaurants in Philadelphia, Aston, Bensalem, Harleysville, Havertown, King Of Prussia, Lansdale and Levittown, PA, and Burlington, Cinnaminson, Lawnside, Lindenwold and West Deptford, NJ and $6.99 at two Popeyes restaurants in Philadelphia, PA, $1.50 (27%) more. Across its 68 restaurants in the Philadelphia area, the median is $5.79, the same as Popeyes' US median of $5.79.
Taco Bell: a Crunchwrap Supreme costs $5.69 at the Taco Bell in Harleysville, PA and $7.19 at 17 Taco Bell restaurants in Aston, Audubon, Bala Cynwyd, Bristol, Fairless Hills, Feasterville, Glenolden, King of Prussia, Lansdale, Levittown, Norristown, North Wales, Phoenixville, Richboro, Upper Darby and Warminster, PA, and Wilmington, DE, $1.50 (26%) more. Across its 48 restaurants in the Philadelphia area, the median is $6.99, 4% above Taco Bell's US median of $6.69.
Anthony Gherghetta, an Australian software developer who built Drive Thru Index, started it after reading some of the buzz about AI being used to set fast food prices: he wanted to see whether it was true, and how big the price differences between restaurants really were. Prices bear out the contrast he noticed. In Australia, 97% of McDonald's restaurants charge within 10% of the typical Big Mac price; in the US, 53% do. The gap between the cheapest and the dearest tenth of restaurants is 10% of the typical price in Australia and 33% in the US.
“I kept reading that fast food chains were starting to use AI and customer data to set prices, so I wanted to see if it was true and how big the differences really were. In Australia, where I’m from, a Big Mac costs much the same wherever you buy it. In the US the price changes from one restaurant to the next. Fast food apps now know what you order, when and where, but customers can’t see how prices are set. So I built Drive Thru Index to check every restaurant, every day,” said Gherghetta.
Quotable lines
The same McDonald's Big Mac costs $5.19 in Philadelphia, PA but $7.29 in Pennsauken, NJ.
The same Jersey Mike's Original Italian costs $8.25 in Glassboro, NJ but $11.50 in Cherry Hill, NJ.
The same Burger King Whopper costs $6.29 in Philadelphia, PA but $8.65 in Penns Grove, NJ.
The same Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich costs $5.49 in Philadelphia, PA but $6.99 in Philadelphia, PA.
The same Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme costs $5.69 in Harleysville, PA but $7.19 in Aston, PA.
Images
The facts behind the release
Every figure is from our prices of 2026-10-02, with the page on this site that shows it.
| Figure | Value | Where to see it |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald's Big Mac: $5.19 to $7.29 (+40%) | Cheapest in Philadelphia, PA, most expensive in Pennsauken, NJ; median $6.79, 13% above McDonald's US median. | See the page |
| Jersey Mike's Original Italian: $8.25 to $11.50 (+39%) | Cheapest in Glassboro, NJ, most expensive in Cherry Hill, NJ; median $10.95, the same as Jersey Mike's US median. | See the page |
| Burger King Whopper: $6.29 to $8.65 (+38%) | Cheapest in Philadelphia, PA, most expensive in Penns Grove, NJ; median $6.59, 5% above Burger King's US median. | See the page |
| Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich: $5.49 to $6.99 (+27%) | Cheapest in Philadelphia, PA, most expensive in Philadelphia, PA; median $5.79, the same as Popeyes' US median. | See the page |
| Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme: $5.69 to $7.19 (+26%) | Cheapest in Harleysville, PA, most expensive in Aston, PA; median $6.99, 4% above Taco Bell's US median. | See the page |
| Cheapest McDonald's Big Mac (restaurants) | $5.19 (2) | Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA |
| Most expensive McDonald's Big Mac (restaurants) | $7.29 (18) | Blackwood, NJ, Cherry Hill, NJ, Glassboro, NJ, Magnolia, NJ, Medford, NJ, Moorestown, NJ, Mount Ephraim, NJ, Mount Holly, NJ, Mount Laurel, NJ, Mullica Hill, NJ, Pennsauken, NJ, Pennsauken, NJ, Sewell, NJ, Swedesboro, NJ, Voorhees, NJ, Wilmington, DE, Woodbury, NJ, Woodstown, NJ |
| Cheapest Jersey Mike's Original Italian (restaurants) | $8.25 (1) | Glassboro, NJ |
| Most expensive Jersey Mike's Original Italian (restaurants) | $11.50 (7) | Cherry Hill, NJ, Cinnaminson, NJ, Hainesport, NJ, Marlton, NJ, Moorestown, NJ, Mt. Laurel, NJ, Voorhees, NJ |
| Cheapest Burger King Whopper (restaurants) | $6.29 (17) | Blue Bell, PA, Clifton Heights, PA, Conshohocken, PA, Feasterville Trevose, PA, Havertown, PA, Holmes, PA, King Of Prussia, PA, Langhorne, PA, Lansdale, PA, Levittown, PA, Levittown, PA, Norristown, PA, North Wales, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Phoenixville, PA |
| Most expensive Burger King Whopper (restaurants) | $8.65 (3) | Mount Laurel, NJ, Penns Grove, NJ, Penns Grove, NJ |
| Cheapest Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich (restaurants) | $5.49 (19) | Aston, PA, Bensalem, PA, Burlington, NJ, Cinnaminson, NJ, Harleysville, PA, Havertown, PA, King Of Prussia, PA, Lansdale, PA, Lawnside, NJ, Levittown, PA, Lindenwold, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA, West Deptford, NJ |
| Most expensive Popeyes Classic Chicken Sandwich (restaurants) | $6.99 (2) | Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, PA |
| Cheapest Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme (restaurants) | $5.69 (1) | Harleysville, PA |
| Most expensive Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme (restaurants) | $7.19 (17) | Aston, PA, Audubon, PA, Bala Cynwyd, PA, Bristol, PA, Fairless Hills, PA, Feasterville, PA, Glenolden, PA, King of Prussia, PA, Lansdale, PA, Levittown, PA, Norristown, PA, North Wales, PA, Phoenixville, PA, Richboro, PA, Upper Darby, PA, Warminster, PA, Wilmington, DE |
Methodology, about and contact
Drive Thru Index reads every restaurant's menu from each chain's own ordering app every day; these are the latest pickup prices collected on or before October 2, 2026, in US dollars. The area covers restaurants within 25 miles (40 km) of downtown of Philadelphia, each restaurant counted in its nearest city. Each chain is compared only with itself, on its own signature item, and only where it has at least 5 restaurants in the area; prices are never compared between chains or converted between currencies. The cheapest and most expensive restaurants leave out airports and similar special sites, which are reported separately.
About Drive Thru Index: Drive Thru Index (drivethruindex.com) publishes the menu price of every item at every restaurant of the biggest fast food brands, collected each day from the chains' own ordering apps. As pricing becomes more data-driven, it exists so that customers can see what each restaurant really charges and how it compares with others nearby. It covers the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Mexico and the Netherlands. Brands are only compared with themselves, and prices are never converted between currencies. Its figures are free to quote with attribution: "Source: Drive Thru Index".
The images with this release are free to use with the credit "Image: Drive Thru Index (drivethruindex.com)".
Media contact: anthony@drivethruindex.com
Background sources
Not part of the release: reporting that backs up its one line of context, for questions from journalists.
- How restaurant loyalty programs can drive more traffic and improve experiences Restaurant Dive, 2024-08-15
Restaurant loyalty apps pull in customers' ordering history and preferences, to personalise offers and recommendations (the intro's apps and loyalty programmes). - Wendy's backtracks on dynamic pricing Restaurant Dive, 2024-02-28
Wendy's told investors it would test dynamic and AI-enabled pricing on digital menu boards from 2025, then said after a backlash that it would not raise prices at the busiest times (the intro's experiments with data-driven pricing). - Inside McDonald's push to have AI price your Big Mac CNBC, 2026-09-29
Reports a Reuters investigation into an AI tool that recommends menu prices to McDonald's restaurants; McDonald's says franchisees remain free to set their own prices. Not quoted in the release text; the page could not be fetched to check its wording, only its search listing.